The County of Brant hosted an event to rename the South Dumfries Community Centre, located in St. George, to the Gaukel Memorial Community Centre on Friday, October 7.
Mayor David Bailey was joined by several dignitaries, including Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Will Bouma, Councillor MacAlpine and Councillor Wheat to honour the family for their years of service to the community and the centre.
Council voted in favour of changing the South Dumfries Community Centre name to the Gaukel Memorial Community Centre in honour of the Gaukel family including the late Earl Gaukel and the late Ken Gaukel who were former employees of the community centre. The renaming honours the Gaukel family’s contributions to the community and specifically their contribution to the construction and ongoing care of the Community Centre.
“It’s quite an honour,” said Mary Gaukel, Ken’s wife. “I’m sure everyone in the family is very happy with this recognition. Ken and Earl worked at the arena for years. They gave everything they had, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to the centre and the community. Anything they could do to help, they would be there. This is really amazing to have them honoured in this way.”
The community centre was built in 1970 and remained under the care of Earl Gaukel from 1970 to 1992 and his son, Ken Gaukel, cared for the centre from 1976 to 2014, taking over leadership in 1992 when his dad retired.
